Periodic interrupter for direction signals with voltage compensation



July 17, 1951 B. F. BAILEY 2,560,539

PERIODIC INTERRUPTER FOR DIRECTION SIGNALS WITH VOLTAGE COMPENSATIONOriginal Filed Sept. 25, 1944 4 Sheets-Sheet l JNVENTOR. flag 0minfbai/ey ATTORNE Y July 17, 1951- BAlLEY 2,560,539

PERIODIC .INTERRUPTER FOR DIRECTION SIGNALS WITH VOLTAGE COMPENSATIONOriginal Filed Sept. 25, 1944 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VEN TOR.

A TTORNE Y July 17, 1951 B. F. BAILEY PERIODIC INTERRUPTER FOR DIRECTIONSIGNALS WITH VOLTAGE COMPENSATION Original Filed Sept. 25, 1944 4Sheets-Sheet 5 T R R Z 32 v JNVENTQR. fiery 0mm 550M651 70 8 k BY I y17, 9 B. F. BAILEY 5 5 PERIODIC INTERRUPTER FOR DIRECTION SIGNALS WITHVOLTAGE COMPENSATION Original Filed Sept. 25, 1944 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 EL.3/ 33 R.

I N V EN TOR. 58/2 00)? /i Baf/cfy ATTORNE Y Patented July 17, 1951PERIODIC INTERRUPTER FOR DIRECTION SIGNALS WITH VOLTAGE COMPENSATIONBenjamin F. Bailey. Ann Arbor, Mich., assignor,

by'mesne assignments, to The Electric Auto- Lite Company, Toledo, Ohio,a corporation ,of

Ohio

Original application September 25, 1944, Serial Divided and thisapplication July 11, 1947, Serial No. 760,393

8 Claims. 1

This invention relates to improved circuits and circuit control meanstherefor for directional signals on motor vehicles in combination withwarning signals, tail lamps, and stop lights and has for its object toprovide a simplified flashing mechanism in a directional system in whicha single fiasher is provided for the various positions 01' the controlin combination with the operation 01' the tail lamps and stop signaldevices. switches, and controls thereof.

In a more specific embodiment of my invention I utilize the samefilament usable in connection with one of the warning signal devices asthe directional signal illuminating means as will thereby save expenseand greatly reduce costs 01' installation, and in a still furtherembodiment of my invention I employ a double filament bulb usable forone of the warnin signal devices and also as a directional signalindicator.

The present application is a division of my prior application. SerialNo. 555,717 for Direction Signal and Circuits Therefor, filed September25, 1944, which issued into Patent No. 2,456,242 of December 14, 1948.The present application is a duplicate of said prior application insofaras the embodiment of the invention is illustrated in Figs. I throughYIILX and XI of said application are concerned.

Further objects and advantages are within the scope of this inventionsuch as relate to the arrangement, operation and function of the relatedelements of the structure. to various details of construction and tocombinations of parts, elements per se, and to economies of manufactureand numerous other features as will be apparent from a consideration ofthe specification and drawing of various forms of the invention, one ofwhich may be preferred. in which:

Figure I illustrates diagrammatically one embodiment of my invention:while Figures II, III, IV, and V each indicate modifications of theparticular type of flashing means employed in the arrangement of FigureI.

Figure VI illustrates a modification of the invention in which. if anoperator has indicated a turn to the right or to the left, the stopswitch signal on the opposite sides, that is to the left or to theright, will no be energized and Figure VII is an enlarged detail of thisoperation;

Figure VIII is a modification of the arrangement of Figure I in which incase the operator has indicated a turn to either the right or the leftand a stop signal is energized at opposite rear filament from the oneenergized by the directiona1 signal will also be energized by the brakepedal action;

vehicle.

Figure IX is a further embodiment oi my invention in which a doublefilament bulb is used while Figure X illustrates another embodiment ofmy invention in which separate illminating means for directional signalsand stop signals are employed.

Referring to Figure I, the battery i0 is grounded at l l as shown, itbeing understood that the battery ii] is charged .by the generatorconnected thereto by a suitable relay on an automobile and thereforethat ill represents a source of electrical energy for the signalingsystems. The steering wheel of the vehicle is indicated at i 5 and onthis steering wheel or the supporting column thereof is mounted themanually settable, automatically releasable directional signal switchindicated generally by the reference numeral 20. This switch has ahandle 2i rotatable around the steering column of the motor vehicle andhandle 2i carries extensions 22 and 23, each extension supportinginsulated switch contacting elements for establishing the circuitshereinafter set forth.

In Figure I, I have illustrated directional signal illuminating means inthe form of incandescent bulbs 30 and Si located on the rear and frontleft side portions of the vehicle and 32 and 33 located at the rear andfront of the right side'of the A lead 35 connects the bulb 30 with aterminal 36 of the switch mechanism. Likewise lead 40 connects filament32 with a contacting terminal 4| and lead 42 connects filament 33 withcontact 43. A lead 44 connects filament 3i with terminal 38 as shown.

From the battery ill, leads i2 and i3 connect the source of energy withan arc-shaped terminal 24 for connection with the proper illuminatingmeans to indicate directional turn of the vehicle. Intcrposed betweenthe leads i2 and i3 is an automatic flashing device indicated generallyby the numeral 50. This device includes the make and break contacts 5iand 52, 52 being connected with the wire i3 leading to the main controlswitch 20, while the other contact 5| is connected through flexibleconnector 53 with coil 54, with lead I2 and battery iii, the coilthereby being in series I with the source of energy ill. The armature 55of the device is weighted as indicated at 55' so as to reduce theperiodicity of the action of the make and break, the armature being somounted as to move toward and away from the core of the coil 54. Thearmature 55 carries the make and break contact 5i with it as indicatedso that as the coil 54 is alternately energized and deenergized. a makeand break in the circuit at 5| and 52 occurs, the weight of the arm 55returning the contact 5| to closed position.

Bridging the contacts and 52, I have provided a condenser 60 to not onlyprevent arcing, and hence deterioration of the points 5| and 52, butalso as a means in which energy is stored and returhed to the system inthe operation of the mechanism.

It will be understood that the extension 22 carries a bridgingelectrical conductor 25 for bridging the are shaped terminal 24 witheither contact 36 and 38 or 4| and 43 depending on the position of theswitch 20.

, The brake pedal of the motor vehicle is indicated at '85 and has apivotally connected rod 58 for controlling a switch 61 which connectsthe source of energy In with the stop signals of the motor vehicle. Tothis end the lead 68 is connected to a terminal block and the extension23 of switch has a cooperating insulated areshaped switch plate H. Innormal position for switch 20, the switch blade connects both rearfilaments and 32 with the source of energy ill to form a non-flashingstop signal at both sides of the car in the rear if switch 61 be closedby an operation of the brake pedal 65. When the switch 20 is moved toeither one of its right hand or left hand settable positions, thesweeping contact II will bridge the other rear stop signal filament(left hand) 30 or (right hand) 32 as the case may be. To this end,terminals 15 and 16 are connected by leads TI and 18 with leads 40 andwhich, in turn, are connected with the filaments 30 and 32 at the rearof the vehicle. Specifically. lead 11 connects terminal I5 with terminal4| while on the other side lead 18 connects terminal 18 with terminal36, 4| being connected with as stated and 36 being connected with 35 asindicated.

It is understood that the steering wheel I 5 has a depending finger l8adapted to contact the handle 2| of the control switch and automaticallyreturn the same to neutral position, after it is moved to the right orto the left as the case may be. This is done when the vehicle hascompleted the turn.

Finger l8 as a cut of! may be replaced by an apparatus surrounding thesteering column which maintains the energization of the directionalsignal as long as the steering wheel is not turned backward in adirection to straighten out the wheels, as upon the completion of aturn.

I through the flasher 50 and the operation on the In the operation ofthe system, when the switch 20 is in normal position an operation of thebrake pedal will cause a non-flashing si nal to be indicated at bothrear filaments 30 and 32. To make a left hand turn, the operator turnsthe handle 2| of the switch 20 to the left. In this case switch contact25 connects terminal 24 with contacts 36 and 38, which in turn connectthe same with the filaments 30 and 3| on the left hand side of thevehicle. Arc-shaped contact 24 being connected through leads I 3 and Hito the battery, energy is supplied through the flashing device 50. andboth filaments 30 and 3| will give a flashing periodically interruptedsignal to indicate that the driver is turning toward the left. When thehigh point of the turn has been reached. the wheel |5 will be so turnedthat the finger |6 will contact the handle 2| returning it to normalposition. The wheel is then straightened out. Thereafter, when a turn isdesired to be made to the right, the operator moves the handle 2| to theright so that contact 25 now bridges contact 24 to connect the same withcontacts 43 and 4| which, in turn, energizes the filaments 32 and 33,the current likewise passing also used. When a break occurs at thepoints 5| and 52 even in a 6-volt system on an automobile. the inducedvoltage in the strong magnetic field in the air gap and in the iron ofthe magnetic circuit may run as high as 30 to 50 volts, and of course,is in a direction to try and keep the current flowing, which might arcacross the breaker points. By connecting the condenser 50 across thepoints, a new path for the current resulting from the relatively highinduced voltage surges into the condenser and the energy of the magneticfield is thus stored therein and thereupon returned to the systeminstead of being wasted in arcing at the breaker points.

Various modifications of the flasher or interrupter 50 illustrated inFigures II to V include, in Figure II, for example, the use of a copperplate 56 arranged so that induced current would slow up the speed of thevibration.

In Figure III, copper rings 51 around the terminals of the magnet wouldhave the same effect of slowing the vibration.

'In Figure IV I have shown a dash pot 58 connected with the vibrator ofthe interrupter 50 as indicated so as to slow down the vibrationthereof, and in this connection an adjustable valve 59 is employed tovary the size of the outlet for the air so that the number of vibrationsper second of the interrupter 50 may be thereby modified as desired.

I desire to point out that in Figure IV, in particular, I have thusshown special means (which may be used in the other modifications) tochange at will the periodicity of the interruptions and contemplate inaddition the use of various electrical means such as the provision ofsectional wirings in the relay with a series of corresponding terminalsto any one of which the line can be connected. Hence the number ofeifective turns of wire can be varied by a suitable adjustment to changethe magnetic power and hence periodicity of the interrupter. I alsopropose to use a bimetallic alternately expanding and contracting typeof automatic flasher energized by the circuit |2|3 for controlling thepoints 5| and 52, and the periodicity may be varied as stated.

In Figure V I have shown a still further modification which will operateas a "quick break" arrangement. In this case the movable breaker point5| is attached to a separate pivoted piece 62 adapted to be contacted bythe armature 55 of the interrupter 50 as it is pulled toward the magnet.Spring 63 normally holds the contacts 5| and 52 in contact with eachother. The arm 62 is of insulating material 01' insulated from thecircuits as is the contacting piece on the arm 55 which operates 62 inthe embodiment of Figure V. Insulation, of course, will be used whereneeded in the other parts of the mechanism which are merelydiagrammatically illustrated in the annexed drawings.

A modification of the system illustrated in Figure I is shown in FigureVI in which the switch 20 is so arranged that when the handle 2| isturned so as to make a left turn, for example, the

stop switch control blade H is disconnected altogether from passingcurrent to the right hand rear filaments 32, but when switch 20 is innormal positiomcurrent passes to both filaments 30 and 12 upon anapplication of the brakes causing the brake pedal 85 to close the switch61. To accomplish this, the terminals 15 and 16 in the embodiment ofFigure VI are directly connected to the leads 35 and 40 respectively, byleads 80 and ll as shown. Moreover, the terminal blocks 15 and 76 are sospaced with respect to the length of the switch blade II that when theoperator turns the handle to make a left hand turn, for example, thespace A occurs as shown in Figure VII between the blade H and theterminal I8. Hence, no current will pass to the right hand filament 32even though the switch 81 is closed. I'he fact that under theseconditions the blade II also contacts terminal 15, as shown in FigureVII, has the added effect of supplying a continuous current to thisfilament 30 as well as supplying the flashing signal through theflashing mechanism 50. Current is supplied to the filament 30, forexample, due to the energization of the flasher directional circuit andalso due to the closure of the switch 61 in case the brake pedal 65 ispressed downward while the operator is making a left hand turn.

In the embodiment illustrated in Figure VIII, I have shown amodification of the arrangement of the system illustrated in general inFigure X. In Figure VIII, an application of the brakes after thedirectional signal switch 20 has been turned to the left or to the rightas the case may be, supplies energy for stop signal indication to boththe rear filaments and 32. In this instance. the terminals H5 and 16 arelocated so close to the terminal block 10 and the length of the blade His such that regardless of the position of the switch 20, terminal 10will be connected with both contacts 15 and I6. I also provide anarrangement in which the blocks 15 and 18 are adjustable so that any oneinstallation of the invention, as shown in Figure VI, for example, orthe arrangement of Figure VIII may be used as desired without changingthe rest of the mechanism.

Referring to the embodiment illustrated in Figure IX, I here show adouble filament lamp 3!) instead of the single filament bulb 30 ofFigure I, likewise a double filament bulb 82' at the other side and inthe rear of the vehicle as shown instead of the single filament bulb 32of Figure I. In Figure IX one filament is for the directional signal andthe other filament of the two filament bulb is for the stop signal. Inthis case, instead of lead 11 connecting terminal block I5 with terminal4|, the lead 11 connects block 16 with the second filament 30 on theleft hand side of the vehicle and the lead 18' connects the block 15with the filament 32 on the right hand side.

In the embodiment of Figure X, instead of using the double filament bulbof Figure IX, I use two separate bulbs 30 and 30' on the left hand sideand also two separate bulbs on the right rear of the vehicle, one (30)for the fiashing directional signal as in Figure X, and the other (30')for the stop signal. Moreover, I also combine the lamps, filaments, andcircuits as in Figure X, and in all my embodiments, the tail lightfilament either as a double filament bulb with the tail light filamentcombined with one or the other of the directional or stop signal bulbs,or as a separate tail lamp bulb and in every case with appropriate bulbcasings, housings, brackets and supports therefor.

It is apparent that, within the scope of the invention, modificationsand different arrangements may be made other than is herein disclosed,and the present disclosure is illustrative merely, the inventioncomprehending all variations thereof.

What I claim is:

1. An electro-responsive circuit interrupter device adapted to beinterposed between a source of energy and the illuminating devices of adirection signaling system for automobiles, said interrupter includingan electro-magnet having a. winding adapted to be connected on one sideto the source of energy and on the other side with the movable contactof said interrupter, a condenser connected across the contacts of saidinterrupter having one end connected to the winding and the other endconnected to the outlet lead from said interrupter, an armature actuatedby the energization of said winding to operate said movable contact tocircuit open position, a spring means to move the armature in theopposite direction to operate the movable contact to circuit closingposition, fluid damping means connected to said armature to retard thevibration of the movable contact, and a manually operated control tovary at will the action of said fluid damping means to change theperiodicity of the vibration of the movable contact of said interrupterand compensate for voltage variations in the system.

2. An electro-responsive circuit interrupter device adapted to beinterposed between a source of energy and the illuminating devices of adirection signaling system for automobiles, said interrupter includingan eleetro-magnet having a winding adapted to' be connected on one sideto the source of energy and on the other side with the movable contactof said interrupter, a condenser connected across the contacts of saidinterrupter having one end connected to the winding and the other andconnected to the outlet lead from said interrupter, an armature actuatedby the energization of said winding to operate said movable contact tocircuit open position,. means to move the armature to operate themovable contact to circuit closing position, a dashpot having a bleedopening cooperating with said armature to retard the vibration of themovable contact, and a valve operable to control the area of said bleedopening to vary at will the action of said dashpot to change theperiodicity of the vibration of the movable contact of said interrupterand compensate for voltage var':ion'= n the system.

3. An electro-responsive circuit interrupter device adapted to beinterposed between a source of energy and the illuminating devices of adirection signaling system for automobiles, said interrupter includingan electro-magnet having a winding adapted to be connected on one sideto the source of energy and on the other side with the movable contactof said interrupter, a condenser connected across the contacts of saidinterrupter having one end connected to the winding and the other endconnected to the outlet lead from said interrupter, an armature actuatedby the energization of said winding to operate said movable contact tointerrupt the energization of said winding, means to return the armatureoperating the movable contact to effect the energization of saidwinding, a dashpot provided with a bleed opening coacting with saidarmature to retard the vibration of the armature and contact operatedthereby, and an adjustable valve to control the area of said bleedopening to vary at will the for voltage variations in the system.

BENJAMIN F. BAILEY.

REFERENCES crrm) The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

Number 8 UNITED STATES PATEN'IB Name Date Ouzoonlan Sept. 25, 1923Pollock Nov. 1, 1927 Swartw'out Sept. 11, 1934 Curtlss Dec. 15, 1936Bell July 5, 1938 Murray July 2, 1940 Murray, Jr. Q.-- June 1, 1943Bailey Dec. 14, 1948

